Weight testing device



Feb. 6, 1945. N. E. HART 2,368,983

WEIGHT TESTING DEVICE AFiled Sept. 23, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l I[ l Y Norma/7 f. Har# INVENTOR Sway/MKM ATTORNEYS Feb. 6, 1945. Nb E; HART WEIGHT TESTING DEVICE Filed Sept. 25, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. e, 1945 2,368,983 'WEIGHT TESTING DEVICE Norman E. Hart, Toledo, Ohio, assigner to Toledo Scale Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of New Jersey Applicationseptember `2s, 1941, serial No. 411,911

This invention relates generally to testing de.- vices; and more' particularly to devices for testing the weight or" artillery shells. vIn the manufacture of artillery shells, or like munitions, itis necessary to ascertain ir the weight oi each shell is within a predetermined tolerance ci the weight of vthe standard, these tests being carried out during the course oi manufacture and/or upon completion oi each shell.

Heretofore these tests were usually carried out with the aid or automatically indicating scales oi the so-called over and under type, each scale being equipped with a chart bearing spaced marks indicating the standard' weight and denning the tolerance :for one kind of shell and "backweighted the amount oi its standard weight.

e 9 claims. 401.26942) Fig. IIjfs' an enlarged fragmentary transvrse sectional view through the housing, the section 'being along the line l-II of Fig. l; and,

Manufacturers, however, usually produce more than one kind ci shell and change the production from one kind to another as required. This practice heretoforeforced them to purchase, and have on hand, several series of scales, each series being adapted to test one kind of shell only, or to change the indicating charts, since each kind oi' shell has a different tolerance, and rebalance the scales whenever-the production was changed from one kind to another.

The principal object of this invention is the provision oi an improved device adapted to test end automatically indicate the variations from the standard weights of several' kinds of artillery' Shells.

Another object is the provision of improved` means for rapidly conditioning the scale to test a selected 'one 'oi a number of different kinds of artillery shells'and to automatically indicate the variation from. the standard weight.

Another `object is the provisionV oi improved means for preventing the observation of the wrong series oi weight indications on an indicating scale chart' bearing several series; and,

Still another ,objectis the provision of improved means for selectively back-weighting a testing device having means adapted toindic'ate over 'and' under weight variations. lThese,` and other -objects and advantages will be apparent from 'the following .description in which reference is had tov the accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which similar reference numeralsrefer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

Fig. I is a front elevation of a device embodying the invention, parts being broken laway to more clearly illustrate details of construction. v

Fig. III is an enlarged detail of the means for pivotally connectingr the connecting rod to the beam lever, the beam lever being sectioned along .the line Ill- IH of Fig.. ll.

Referring to the drawings in detail: The device comprisesY a base i0, preferably a hollow, rigid iron casting, in which is mounted the usual load supporting lever system il. A nose l2 oi this lever system, provided with a pivot i3, engages a suitable bearing in a stirrup ill, suspended from the lower end of a connecting rod lathe upper end of which is suspended from a stirrup it. This stirrup comprises a short crosshead il (Fig. HI), in which the connecting rod i5 is locked, two spaced crescent-shaped plates i8 and a 'pair of v bearings I9, allgnably mounted von pins 2o which extend through suitableapertures adjacent the ends ci the crescentshapedl plates i8. The bearings I9, whichv are positioned between these' plates, engage knife edges 2l of a pivot 22 extending through the arms of a bifurcated portion of a `seam lever 23. In addition to the knife edges 2l, the pivot 22 is provided with another knife edge 24 milled in that portion of the pivot which spans the bifurcation and is directed in opposition to the knife edges 2l, the edges of these pivots however being in alignment. y

I By means of a fulcrumpivot 25, the-beam lever 23 is mounted upon a suitable bearing 26 in the interior of aniexpandedportion of a hollow column 2'! erected upon an extending portion of the base Il). For the-'purpose of counterbalancing Y the pull due to the dead w'eight oi the lever system Il and of a load receiving platform' 28, mounted upon this lever system, as well as other members of the device assembly, a loading box 29,'adapted to be filled with lead or other heavy material', is bolted toan end of the lever 23 extending through an opening in the side of the column 21. The opposite end of the lever, which extends through Va similar opening in the `other side of the column 21, carries a forwardly extending bracket 30. A similar bracket 3l is secured to the loading box 29, and fastened to these brackets are a pairor beams 32 and 33. The

upper edge of the beam 32 is provided with notches 34, 35,36 and 31, while the beam 33 has notches 28,139, l0 and il milled in its upper edge. The notches serve to position poises 42 and 43 on the beam 32. and poise on the beam 33 so that when positioned in any of the notches they exert a predetermined torque. Y

To connect the mechanism sofar described to load-counterbalancing mechanism and load indicating means, the knife edge 2l engages a bearing Il of a stirrup 'llsuspended from the lower end of a connecting rod l1, the upper end of which is locked in a yoke Il that is clamped to the lower ends of thin metallic ribbons I I. The l' upper ends of the ribbons Il overiie and are which lare component parts of load-counterbalancing pendulums ll.- sector .each pendulum ilcomprises a pair of fulcrum sectors I2, one being stationed on each side of this power sector, and a pendulum body ll having a downwardly extending stem el on which a pendulum weight il is adiustabLv threaded. l l

, Thin metallic ribbons Il, overlying and clamped to machined parallel faces of a pendulum frame i 4 l1. serve to support the pendulums il in operative position. 'I'he pendulum frame l1 is boltedl to suitable bosses in the interior of 'an annular housing Il which sux-mounts the column 21. As shown in Pig. I, during assembly, the device is balanced sothat when there is no load on the platform 28' thependulums Il are partially raised. y

when a load is placed on the platform 2l, its .pull" is transmitted through the'lever system Il andconnectingrods Il," andtheribbons Il -1 'to the pendulums Il.

The fuicrum sectors roll upwardly on the ribbons It and the pendium Weights` il swing` outwardly' until their increased weight moments coxmterbalance the pull due to the load. Since `the angular deilections of the pendulums are functions of the weight of the load.

indicating means may'be connected to the pendulums to g'ive accurate indications. To accom' plish this in the vpresent invention, 'a pair of socalled compensating plates AIl are pivotally con-v nected at theirends to the centers of revolution of the pendulums in a manner so that they'parA q{5 until they rest against stopsqill. This downward y movement of thependulums is translated into rotation of the indicators -by the cooperation of tothisshaftlsashock-absorbingmemb'erll' whichissubstanually c-shaped andmadefromhishly tempered steel.

of this c-sheped member is a foot I! adapted to adimtably retain a downwardly proiectlng' rack l! whose teeth mesh with theieeth ola pinion (Il eircuinjacently mounted onl an"i'ndiv shaft Il. The opposite ends of this indiciaA wdghtissensedand compensated'forbythepem .1L-1r, u and 'u'.bea'ring index marks 1s, 1|;'11-

and-1l `These index marks, whs:

with aseries allem indicia 10, Il, Il, 82, Il and Il an annular chart Il, bolted to suitablebossesintheintedorofthe'housingllso path fof movement ofthe indicators 1| to 'Il inelusive. non o: the sere indieiums'u to u inelusive indicate the standard weisht of a particu-Y In addition to thepower -s identifying the partimuar kind of sneu and by theA words "over and under."

' The open rear of the annular housing I1 is covered by a disk Il which is retained by a plurality of screws SII. Secured to the front of this' housing. in a similar manner, is a cast annular frame clamped to arcuate faces of power sectors il Il having a centrallylocated hub $2 which is connected to the frame by means oi a plurality of radially extending spokes Il. An annular channeled rubber gasket Il, interposed between the l5 edge of the housing il and the frame Il is adapted to hold a circular sheet of transparent glass Il which effectively enclose; the front of the housing. 4For a purpose which will later become clear, a circular shield. is rotatably mounted upon the shoulder'of a post t1 studded into the to the lower ends of arcuate faces of the fulcrum sectors l2, that have their upper ends clamped hub 82 and is adaptedlto be locked to this hub by a hand knob Il threaded on this post.` The shield Si is provided within. seament-like opening Si' positioned therein so that upon rotationof this shield it is adapted to overlie and selectively ex-V ing calibers.' among others; vis: 75 mm., 81 mm.

and 105 mm., and shells-0175 mm. are to be tested, the operator rst conditions thel scale to test shells of Vthis caliber by looning 'the hand knob 98 and turning the disk Il until the opening vl! '35 overlies that series, of weight indicia on the chart 'Il which indicates the :mandartil weight and the permissible tolerance of 75 mm. shells. The operr this poise is equal to the standard weightA of a shell of this caliber Vwhen* resting on the platform 2l. The movement ofthe poise Il into thisposition, predetermined by the notch Jack-weights the device and the .pendulums'move downwardly 'the rack II and the pinion Il andthe indicator j tolerance sone defined by thev graduations Il and '11. lwnenvthe meu inmunes onjthe platform 2l, if'its weight is correct, the resulting pull' balances the moment of the'poise Il, and

ss the indicatori! willmcve in a clockwise direction until its index line 1l registers with the aero vinditiiilll Il. Any vlllln kan the standard dulums and the indicator will be positioned sco cordinglm If the to restinvthe j :sones deilnedby the graduationmarks Il and l1,

shell is acceptable.` Ifrhoweve'r, it comes to restbeypnd either of thesesnarks, it mustibe re' I jg'shells',thepoisellisxemrnedto-itssemnotcb inthebeamli adiacentastoplli. thederviceisin fbalaneaareadaptedtoregisterA onthebeamllisthenmovedlmtothenohllln thisbeam. Inthispositiomthemomentofthe "poisetlisequaltothepulloflmmshellwhen placed on the platform. The operator then rothat itsinner edle is adjacent the aus un m n, in the manner'hereinbefore de- .,lcbed, mtu the opening Il overliesthe series orweightindicn coto shells 0f 10 mm. sauber. The testine operation then PN- whnddaruneryshehmdehdankedeeeedsuhenmbefondmihedandtbcwdg :,ssaoss -3 the operator ilrst rotates the=disk 98 so thatthe opening 99 overlies--the lil-mm. weight series -and thenv after returning the poise M into its -zerol position-.moves the poise 42 into the notchl 15. yThe moment of this poise in this posi# tion merely overbalances the load oiIsctting peni dulumssuiilci'ently to allow the pendulumstciI move downwardly a distance to rotate-cl'iejin dicator 1I until its index 18 is in registration with thezero indicium He then backweightsTthe-device by moving "the poise Il int thenotch in which position its moment oilsets thepull resulting vfrom a 81 mm. shell when lplaced on the-platform 2l. The testing operation, of course, isfsimilar to the one previously described.

,The embodiment of the invention herein shown and described is to be regarded as illustrative only, and it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible to variation, modification and .change within the splritand scope of the sub-y joined claims. I- Iaving described the invention, I claim:

1. In a device ofthe class described, in com-y bination,4 means adapted -to be conditioned to counterbalance the weight of one of a plurality of articles having various predetermined weights, said means comprising a pendulum, :i beam cooperating with said pendulum and a poise slidably mounted upon saidbeam, a -plurality or poise.I positioning means onsaid beam for -cooperation with said poise to selectively condition said weight'counterbalancing means. indicat- -ing means actuated bv said weight counterbalvanclng means, said indicatingmeans comprislng a'chart and a relatively movable indicator, said chart bearing a plurality of seriesjof indicia,

each-series being spaced from each -other zand. comprising an indicium indicating the correct predetermined weight of one of such articles and indiciaspaced on eachslde ci?v such correctpre-` determined weighn-indicium toindicate limitsl of permissible vari`ation, said .indicator having --a plurality of indices spaced toregistertwithisuchspacedseriesof indicia i'or directlyndicating the lcondition of balance when articles-having weights .--corresponding to such spaced series of Aindicia -are being counterbalancekl, said chart 'bearing another plurality-ofl series-oi' ndiciaspaced from each other and interspersed between such mentioned -plural-ityfof-series. each sries affindicia of such secondly mentioned plurality-.also comprising an -in dlclum to indicate correct weight and indicia to indicate permissible variationfof the weight of sucharticles, means on said beam for further conditioning said weight -counterbal- -ancing'means whereb'y. .such indices-on said 'in- "dicator are caused -to register with such inter-, parsed plurality-ofseries of indicia o n said chart. sa. mrt- U- 00ml P01 0n ,5014 fOr 'Cdliordirectly indicating the conditional balance @when articles having weights 4corresponding v to such interspersed series of indiciaare being count e`rbalanced', said secondly mentioned-conditioning mea-ns comprising afpoise: and a" dislrilike member having 'a singleopening rotatably mounted in front of said indicating means ,for

exposing to view-onlyl-one ofs'u'ch series of .in- '.dicia-on-said chart.

bination, means adapted to be conditioned to counterbalance the weight of one of a plurality ofarticles having various predetermined weights,

said means comprising a pendulum. s beam co- 5 operating with said pendulum and a poisev slidably mounted upon said beam. a plurality oi poise positioning means on-said beam for cooperation with said poise to selectively' condition :said weight counterbalancing .means, indicating lli means actuated by said weight co terbalancing means, said indicating means compising a chart havingaplurality of series oi indicia marked thereon.' each of. such series being. spaced from each other and an indicator havinggja plurality l5 o! indices spaced to register with saidspaced series of indiciafor directly-indicatmg'the'ecndition of balance 'when articles having weights `corresponding to such spaced indiciw-are-'being su -ralityof series of indicia spaced from each other but interspersed betweensuch first-mentioned A,pluralityof series, means-on said beam'forffurther conditioning said weight counterbalancing means whereby such indices -on-sald indicating 25 means are caused tol register with-such interspersed plurality of series of-indicia on said chart for indicating vthe condition of :balance whenarticles having weights correspondingfto such interspersed series of indicia are being 3" counterbalanced, said secondly mentionedv conditioning means comprising a poise land adisklike member having a single opening --rptatably .mounted infrontvof said indicating means for exposing -to'view only one of suchplurality oi 35 series of indicia on said chart.

\ 3. In a device of the class described. in comblnation, means adapted tofbe selectively conditioned to counterbalance the weightI of a plurality -ot articles having various predetermined weights.

Q40 said means comprising a pendulum, ya beam cooperating withsaid pendulum andapoiseslidably mounted upon said beam,.said' ,beam having a series of' predetermined poise positioning means, each of such positioning means being u adapted when vsaid poise is positioned thereby to condition the device to vcountsrbalance the 4predeterminedweight of one of such plurality oi articles, saidpendulumbeing adapted to sense variations in the weight -of such article, indicatw 'ing meanscooperating with said weight counterbalancing means comprising s relatively movable Y chartand indicatorfsaid lchart bearing a plurality ofseries of weight indicia, veaclfigone. of

. such series o1' indicia corresponding t0. theweight u of one-of such-plurality oi' articles and including an indicium indicating thevcorrect` weight of weight of such article, therev being such aserles of indicia on said chart corresponding to each "loi said poise positioning'means, said indicator havingva plurality of indices ,spaced to register y with the comstweight indicia afferma or auch plurality of series of weight indicia bornes'by said ing to that-poise positioning 'meansaccording-to ,A which said firstlyV mentined poise is positioned.

4. In a device o! the class described. in coml bination.' means adapted to be selectively condiil tioned to 'counter-balance the-weight oia plurality -counterbalanced rsaid chart'havingi'anoxthepluf ter with others of such-tplm'V 4er artieies navingfvarious predetermined weights,

said meangcomprising apendulum, a. beam cooperating with said pendulum and a poise slidably mounted upon said beam, said beam having a series of 'predetermined poise positioning means, each of such positioning means being adapted when said poise is positioned thereby to condition the device to counterbalance the predetermined weight of one oi.' such plurality 0I articles, said pendulum being adapted to sense variations in the weight of such article, indicating means cooperating with said weight counterbalancing means comprising arelatively movable chart and indicator, said chart bearing a pluraliiw of series of weight indicia, each one o! such sexies of indicia corresponding to the weight ot one of such plurality of articles and including an indlcium indicating the correct weight of such article and indiciaiianking said indicium to indicate the permissible variation in. the weight of such article, there being such a series ot indicia on said chart corresponding to each .of said poise positioning means. said `indicator having a plurality of indices spaced to register with the correct weightindicia of certain of such plurality of series of weightindicia borne by saidchart, and a second poise on said beam for conditioning the device to cause said indices on-said indicator to register with others of such plurality of series of weightindicia on said chart.

,5. In a device of the class described, in combination, means adapted to be selectively concil-V tioned to colmterbalance the weight of 'a plurality of articles Vhaving various predetermined weights, said nmeans comprising a pendulum, -a beam cooperating with said pendulum and a poise slidably mounted upon-said beam, said beam having a series of predetermined poise positioning means,'each or such positioning means beingadapted when said poise'is lpositioned thereby to condition the `device to counterbalance the predetermined weig'ht o! one of such plurality of articles, said pendulum beingadapted to sense variations-in the weighttof such article, indicatling means cooperating with said weight counterbalancing means comprising a relatively movable chart and indicator. said chart bearing a plurality of series of weight indicia, each one of such series of indicia corresponding to the weight 'or Vone oi' such plurality of articles and including an indicium indicating the correct weight of such article and indicia alikingy said indicium to indicate the. permissible variation in the weight ot such article, there being such a series of indicia on said chartcorresponding toreai'ch oi'saidgpoise positioning means, and manipulative means i'orexposing to view only that series ofindicia correl spending to that poise-positioning means accordingto which said poiseispositioned. l 4

e, In a device of the class deseribed;,irifeombi nation, means adapted to be conditioned to counterbalance the weight of one of a 'plurality of arune. having various predetermined weights, seid means comprising a'pendulum, a beam cooperat-` lng with" said pendulum and a' poise slidably v sitioning meansonsaid beam for cooperation with said' poise to selectively condition said weight coimterbalancing means, indicating means actuated by said weight counterbalancing means, said indicating means comprising-a chart y having a plurality o! series ci' 4indicia marked indices spaced to registerwith such spaced se-f" accesos interspersed between said irst mentioned plurality, and means on said beam for further conditioning said weight counterbalancing means whereby such indices on said indicating means are caused to register with such interspersed plurality or series of indicia on said chart for indicating the condition of balance when articles having weights corresponding to such interspersed series of indicia are being counterbal- Aanced.

'7. In a device of the class described, in combination, means adapted to be conditioned to counterbalance the weight of one or a plurality of articles havingvarious predetermined weights-said means comprising a pendulum, a beam cooperating with said pendulum and a poise slidably mounted lupon said beam, said beam having a series of predetermined positioning means for cooperation with said poise, indicating means actuated by said counterbalancing means i'or directly indicating the condition of balance when the weight of a selected one of such plurality of articles is being counterbalanced, said indicating meansl Vcomprising a chart having a plurality of series o i' indicia marked thereon and a .rotatable member :having a plurality of index lines for `cooperatiixci with such plurality of series of indicia, and an opaque disk rotatably mounted in iront of said chart and having g single openbeam cooperating with said pendulum and a poise slidably mounted upon said beam, said beam having means for positivelyt itioning" said poise 45 at any of a plurality o! pre stemmed positions;

and indicating means actuated by said counterbalancing means for directly lindicating the condition of .balance when the weight of a selected one of such plurality oi articles is being counterbalanced, said indicating means comprising a chart having a plurality of series of indicia marked thereon, each of said series having indicia to indicate the excess or deciency of weight vof one vof said articles from the corresponding predetermined' weight and a Vrotatable member having a plurality of index lines for cooperation with suchv plurality of series of indicia.

9'. In a device of the class described, in comblnation, means adapted to be selectively conditioned to counterbalance the weight of a plural-Y ity ofl articlesv having various predetermined weights, said means' comprising an automatic 'counterbalance,l a beam cooperating with said automatic coimterbalance and apoise slidably es' mounted upon said beam', said beam having e. semoimted upon said beam, a plurality oi poise po- /ries of predetermined poise positioning means,

each of such positioning` means being adapted when said poise is positioned thereby to condition the device to counterbalance'the predetermined weight of one of such plurality of articles, said automatic counterbalance being adapted to sense vvariations in the weight of such article. indicating'means cooperating with said automatic counterbaiancing means comprising a relatively movfableiehart- 'and indicator, said chart bearing a 2,ses,oss 5 such article, there being such a. series of indicia on said chart corresponding to each of said poise positioning means, and manipulative means for exposing to view only that series of indicia, co1'-` responding to that poise positioning means according to'jwhich said poise is positioned.

NORMAN E. HART. 

